Fire extinguisher discharge device



March 6, 1956 F. B. ALLEN 2,737,251

FIRE EXTINGUISHER DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed Jan. 2'7, 1955 //I ll/ ll/ 1111/ 1/ I1 30 51 INVENTOR fRA/vx 5. 44 LEN WWW Unit

FIRE EXTINGUISHER DISCHARGE DEVICE Frank R Allen, Towaco, N. J.,assignor to C-O-Two Fire Equipment Company, Newark, NJ.

The present invention relates to fire extinguishing, and particularly toan improved discharge device for carbon dioxide extinguishing fluid.

In using carbon dioxide as a fire extinguishing agent, in some systemsit is stored at high pressure in containers at atmospheric temperature,and in other systems it is stored at a sub-atmospheric pressure inrefrigerated containers. In both cases the pressure is such that if thefluid is discharged without a suitable velocity-reducing device, air isentrained to reduce the effectiveness of the carbon dioxide.Furthermore, the velocity might be so great as to cause the scatteringof burning combustible material.

Heretofore, various types of discharge devices have been provided toattain the desired result, among which is the construction disclosed inS. E. Allen et a1. Patent No. 1,993,696, issued March 5, 1935. Thepresent invention is an improvement over that disclosed in the Allen eta1. patent in that a somewhat more simplified construction is disclosed.

Prior constructions have provided a discharge device including a closedend tubular member extending into the shield, the side wall of thetubular member being provided with a plurality of orifices. Suchconstructions, when used on extinguishers of small discharge capacity,necessitate the use of screening to protect the small orifices fromclogging by mill scale or other matter which may be in the piping systemand carried by'the discharging fluid.

An object of the present invention is to provide a discharge devicewhich is simple and economical in manufacture, efiicient in operationand durable in use.

In accordance with the invention this is accomplished by providing adischarge device in which an orifice is placed at the end of the valvebody and means is provided for redirecting and expanding the fluidbefore dis charging it into the shield. By reason of the turbulence andexpansion, a short shield may be used for the further expansion of thefluid and for directing the fluid.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and -from the accompanying drawing which shows, byway of example, an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a fire extinguisher discharge device inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an end view looking from right to left of Figure 1 in thedirection of the discharge.

Figure 3 is an outer end view of the inner body member.

Figure 4 is a side view of the inner body member with a portion thereofbroken away to show the passages therethrough.

Figure 5 is a side view of the outer body member with a portion thereofbroken away to show the passages therethrough.

Figure 6 is an end view of the outer body member looking from right toleft in Figure 5.

States Patent 0 jing passages 20, the stream then further expandinginside the inner end 32 of the shield 4. A region of intense "iceReferring to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a fireextinguisher discharge device 1 in accordance with the inventionincluding an outer body member 2, an inner body member 3, and adischarge shield 4.

The outer body member 2 may be made from tubular stock and has its outersurface 6 faced for engagement by a wrench to secure the body member inposition on piping for the conventional carbon dioxide fire extinguishersystem. A passage 7 extends through the body member 2 and has a reducedportion 9 made with a threaded surface for engagement of the inner bodymember. By reducing the diameter of the passage, a shoulder 10 is madeto limit the outward movement of the inner body member 3. The inner endof the passage 7 is threaded as indicated at 11 for a piping connection.An axiallyextending flange 12 is formed on the outer end of the bodymember '2, the inner surface of the flange 12 having a somewhatgreater'diameter than the outer diameter of the inner body member 3. Ashoulder 14 is provided at the base of the Jflange 12 and is preferablymade with a slight undercut as may be seen at 15.

The inner body member 3 is of generally tubular shape with a closed endwall 17. A plurality of transverselyextending orifices 20 are formedadjacent the end wall 17. A passage 21 extendsthrough the inner bodymember 3, the passage being reduced in size as indicated at 22 toprovide an orifice opening of predetermined diameter, the diameter ofthe orifice opening being less than the diameter of thetransversely-extending passages 20 so that there is an expansion of thefluid passing through the orifice 22 as it passes through the passages29. Outer surface 24 of the inner body member 3 is threaded forengagement with the threaded surface .11 of the outer body member. Innerend '25 of the inner body member is enlarged to provide ahead to engagewith the shoulder 10-of the outer body member, slots 26 being providedfor engagement by a tool to tightly position the inner body member inposition in the outer body member.

The discharge shield 4 'is preferably made with straight side walls 30,the outer end being flanged as indicated at 31 to secure the shield inposition over an opening, conventional flange-securing means (not shown)being used to hold the shield in position. The inner end of the shield 4is curved inwardly as indicated at 32, an opening being made in theinner end of the shield of a diam eter to slip over the flange 12 of theinner body member v2, the curvature of the shield fitting the undercutsurface of the body member '2. The flange 12 is turned outwardy againstthe edge of theopening in the shield '4 to hold the shield in position.

In using a discharge device in accordance with the invention, it isattached to the piping system of a carbon dioxide fire extinguishingsystem. Upon a discharge of the fire extinguishing fluid, the fluid ismetered in the orifice 22 and slightly expanded inthetransversely-extendcold temperature is provided about the innermember 3 lowering the temperature of the issuing stream as it passesthrough the orifice 22 and the expansion passages 20. By reason of theexpansion 'in the passage 20, the temperature of the issuingfluid islowered Somewhat so that carbon dioxide snow is formed at the end of thepassages 20 or possibly slightly inward of the outward end of thesepassages. Thus, an eflicient carbon dioxide discharge device is providedin which the shield 4 may be of comparatively small size and short inlength. The construction is economical in construction, eflicient inoperation and durable in use.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference toa specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that otherembodiments may be resorted to without departing from the invention. Forexample, while the transversely-extending passages 20 have been shown ashaving a length determined by the diameter of the inner body member 3,expansion tubes With straight or flaring Walls may be inserted in thepassage extending the length thereof so as to provide for a stillfurther expansion of the issuing fluid before it is discharged at theouter ends of these transversely-extending tubes. In this case in someconstructions it might be preferable to enlarge the diameter of theshield 4. Therefore, the form of the invention set out above should beconsidered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A fire extinguisher discharge device comprising a shield having apartially closed end forming a shield base with an opening of apredetermined diameter, a compact body member for the support of theshield and including an outer conduit connecting tubular member having apassage therethrough, the outer tubular member having a threaded innersurface and a portion of enlarged diameter defining a shoulder,axially-extending flange means extending from the body member at one endthereof and of an outer diameter to fit within the opening in theshield, the edge of the flange turned over the edge of the opening inthe shield holding the shield in position, and an inner tubular memberhaving a threaded outer surface for engagement with the threaded innersurface of the outer tubular member, the inner tubular member having aclosed end, the open end of the inner tubular member of enlargedcross-section to provide a shoulder adapted to abut against the shoulderof the outer tubular member, the tubular member formed with a pluralityof transversely extending discharge openings positioned adjacent theclosed end, the passage in the inner tubular member adjacent thedischarge openings of restricted cross-section forming an orifice of apredetermined size, the area of the orifice opening less than the areaof the discharge openings providing for expansion of the fluid after ithas passed through the orifice but before being discharged into theshield, the closed end of the inner tubular member positioned inside thebase of the shield in a region of low temperature thereby providing apreliminary cooling and expansion of the issuing stream before it isredirected and further expanded in the shield.

2. A fire extinguisher discharge device comprising a shield having apartially closed end forming a shield base with an opening of apredetermined diameter, a compact body member for the support of theshield and including an outer tubular member having a passagetherethrough, the outer tubular member having a threaded inner surface,axially-extending flange means extending from the body member at one endthereof and of an outer diameter to fit within the opening in theshield, the edge of the flange turned over the edge of the opening inthe shield holding the shield in position, and an inner tubular memberhaving a threaded outer surface, the inner tubular member having aclosed end and formed with a plurality of transversely extendingdischarge openings positioned adjacent the closed end, the passage inthe inner tubular member adjacent the discharge openings of restrictedcross-section forming an orifice of a predetermined size, the area ofthe orifice opening less than the area of the discharge openingsproviding for expansion of the fluid after it has passed through theorifice but before being discharged into the shield, the closed end ofthe inner tubular member positioned inside the base of the shield in aregion of low temperature thereby providing a preliminary cooling andexpansion of the issuing stream before it is redirected and furtherexpanded in the shield.

3. A fire extinguisher discharge device comprising a shield having apartially closed end forming a shield base, a compact body member forthe support of the shield and including an outer tubular member having apassage therethrough, shield securing means on the body member at oneend thereof for the support of the shield, and an inner tubular memberhaving a passage therethrough with a closed end and formed with aplurality of transversely extending discharge openings positionedadjacent the closed end, the passage in the inner tubular memberadjacent the discharge openings of restricted cross-section forming anorifice of a predetermined size the area of the orifice opening lessthan the area of the discharge openings providing for expansion of thefluid after it has passed through the orifice but before beingdischarged into the shield, the closed end of the inner tubular memberpositioned inside the base of the shield in a region of low temperaturethereby providing a preliminary cooling and expansion of the issuingstream before it is redirected and further expanded in the shield.

4. A fire extinguisher discharge device comprising a shield having apartially closed end forming a shield base, a compact body membersupporting the shield and including an outer tubular member having apassage therethrough, and an inner tubular member having a passagetherethrough with a closed end and having a plurality of transverselyextending discharge openings positioned adjacent the closed end, thepassage in the inner tubular member adjacent the discharge openings ofrestricted cross-section forming an orifice of a predetermined size lessthan the area of the discharge openings providing for expansion of thefluid after it has passed through the orifice but before beingdischarged into the shield, the discharge end of the inner tubularmember positioned inside the base of the shield in a region of lowtemperature under discharge condition thereby providing a preliminarycooling and expansion of the issuing stream before it is redirected andfurther expanded in the shield.

5. A nozzle for a fire extinguisher discharge device comprising a bodymember having a passage therethrough, means closing an end of thepassage, means forming a plurality of transversely extending dischargeopenings posi tioned adjacent the closed end, and means restricting thepassage adjacent the discharge openings forming an orifice of restrictedsize less than the area of the discharge openings providing forexpansion of the issuing fluid after it has passed through the orificebut before being dis' charged into the shield, thereby providing apreliminary cooling and expansion of the issuing stream before it isdischarged from the nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,993,696 Allen Mar. 5, 1935 2,500,214 Stroop Mar. 14, 1950 2,560,407Boal July 10, 1951

